Navjot Singh Sidhu is an ‘opportunist’: Punjab CM

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday said “disarrayed and opportunist” people like Navjot Singh Sidhu are “good for nothing” in public life.

On the sidelines of Sangat Darshan programme in Lambi Assembly segment, the Chief Minister, when asked to comment on probability of the former BJP MP joining the Congress, said Sidhu was “non-decisive” in joining any party due to his vested interests. Badal said people who have “no stand” on any issue “are bound to go in political oblivion”.

He said people of the state have “strong disliking” for “opportunists and defectors, who backstab their mother party for sake of personal interests”. Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said revolts against Akali Dal were coming from “only those who have been denied tickets by the party”.

On another query, the Chief Minister said anyone was free to contest election against anybody. “However, one thing was crystal clear that security deposits of Lok Sabha MP and AAP leader Bhagwant Mann would be forfeited if he contests against Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal from Jalalabad,” he said.

Replying to another query, the Chief Minister said the demonetization move would prove beneficial for the country. He said November 25 would be an important day for the state as Prime Minister Modi would lay foundation stone for AIIMS at Bathinda. Badal said for the “first time since Independence any Centre has given such a big ticket project” to the state. He said the project to come up at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore would transform the healthcare sector in the state.

Describing the resignation by Amarinder Singh from Lok Sabha a “mere political stunt”, the Chief Minister asked the state Congress Chief to explain why other Congress MPs had not resigned. He said the “resignation drama” was aimed at deriving political benefit from the sensitive SYL issue rather than safeguarding the interests of the state.